Reading Skills
33%of exam
Main Idea & PurposeContext Clues & VocabularyWord Structure & PhonicsInference & Fact vs OpinionText OrganizationCharts & Graphs
Writing Skills
33%of exam
Grammar & Usage ErrorsPunctuation & SpellingSentence Parts & StructureWriting Process StepsSupporting Student WritingModes & Purposes
Mathematics Skills
33%of exam
Number Sense & OperationsFractions Decimals PercentsOrder of OperationsGeometry & MeasurementData Analysis & GraphsOne-Step Equations
Quick Facts
- Exam
- GACE Paraprofessional Assessment (349)
- Administrator
- GaPSC / Pearson since 2025-07-01
- Format
- 90 selected-response questions
- Testing Time
- 2 hours (2h 15m total appointment)
- Passing Score
- 220 scaled score (100-300 scale)
- Fee
- $49
- Subareas
- Reading, Writing, Math each 33%
- Delivery
- Test center or online proctoring
Two Detail Check
Ask which two details prove the main idea
Detail 1Detail 2Main IdeaEvidence
Main Idea vs Topic
Topic
- Word or short phrase
- Names what passage covers
Main Idea
- Complete sentence claim
- States author's central point
Main idea is a claim
Choosing the Reading Skill Tested
- Question asks for central point→Identify the main idea
- Question asks for evidence→Find the supporting detail
- Unfamiliar word given examples→Apply the example clue
- Unfamiliar word defined nearby→Apply the definition clue
- Word has multiple meanings→Substitute meaning in sentence
- Text uses first, next, finally→Identify sequence structure
- Statement needs checking→Classify as fact or opinion
- Answer goes beyond stated text→Confirm the inference is defensible
Word Structure & Phonics
- Prefix
- Added before a base word
- Suffix
- Added after a base word
- Root Word
- Core word part
- Compound Word
- Two full words combined
- Syllable
- One vowel sound unit
- Synonym
- Word means the same
- Antonym
- Word means the opposite
- Homonym
- Same sound, different meaning
Context Clue Search
Check definition, example, synonym, then antonym clues nearby
DefinitionExampleSynonymAntonymRestatement
Fact vs Opinion
Fact
- Can be verified
- Checkable against evidence
Opinion
- Expresses a judgment
- Reflects personal preference
Facts checkable; opinions are judgments
Context Clue Types
- Definition Clue
- Meaning stated directly nearby
- Example Clue
- Examples show category meaning
- Synonym Clue
- Similar word placed nearby
- Antonym Clue
- Contrast word signals opposite
- Restatement Clue
- Idea reworded differently nearby
- Multiple-Meaning Word
- Test each meaning in sentence
- Glossary
- Book-specific specialized definitions
Reading Comprehension Skills
- Main Idea
- Author's central point stated
- Supporting Detail
- Evidence proving the main idea
- Sequence Structure
- Steps shown in time order
- Cause & Effect
- Effect follows a cause
- Compare & Contrast
- Shared basis, similarities and differences
- Fact vs Opinion
- Fact is checkable, not judged
- Author's Purpose
- Inform persuade entertain or explain
- Inference
- Evidence plus reasonable logical conclusion
Writing Process Order
Prewrite, draft, revise, edit, then publish the piece
PrewriteDraftReviseEditPublish
Revising vs Editing
Revising
- Rethinks ideas and organization
- Happens before editing stage
Editing
- Fixes grammar and spelling
- Happens after content settles
Revise meaning, edit surface errors
Choosing the Writing Fix
- Two full sentences joined wrong→Fix the run-on
- Clause missing subject or verb→Identify sentence fragment
- Verb does not match subject→Apply subject-verb agreement
- Modifier describes wrong word→Move it next to noun
- Homophone sounds correct but wrong→Recheck the homophone
- Task is generating ideas→Use prewriting strategies
- Task is fixing surface errors→Move to editing stage
- Task is rethinking content→Move to revising stage
Grammar & Usage Rules
- Subject-Verb Agreement
- Verb matches the true subject
- Pronoun Case
- Remove other noun to test
- Run-On Sentence
- Two clauses joined incorrectly
- Sentence Fragment
- Missing subject or complete verb
- Misplaced Modifier
- Move phrase next to noun
- Their vs There vs They're
- Possession, place, and contraction
- Apostrophe Use
- Marks omitted letters or possession
Comma vs No Comma
Comma Needed
- Both sides are sentences
- Joined by and or but
No Comma
- Second part is a phrase
- Cannot stand alone
Independent clauses need the comma
Punctuation & Parts of Speech
- Comma Before Conjunction
- Needed for two independent clauses
- Quotation Punctuation
- End mark goes inside quotes
- Noun
- Names a person place thing
- Verb
- Shows action or state
- Adjective
- Describes a noun
- Adverb
- Describes a verb
- Preposition
- Shows position time or direction
- Sentence Parts
- Subject plus verb predicate
Writing Process Steps
- Prewriting
- Brainstorm ideas before organizing them
- Drafting
- Turn ideas into initial text
- Revising
- Rethink meaning organization and evidence
- Editing
- Fix grammar spelling and punctuation
- Audience
- Determines vocabulary tone and detail
- Persuasive Mode
- States a debatable clear position
- Descriptive Mode
- Uses vivid sensory detail
- Narrative Mode
- Tells a sequenced story
PEMDAS Order
Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally for order
ParenthesesExponentsMultiplyDivideAddSubtract
Perimeter vs Area
Perimeter
- Measures boundary distance
- Uses linear units
Area
- Measures enclosed surface
- Uses square units
Perimeter length, area covers space
Which Math Operation to Use
- Splitting into equal groups→Divide as sharing
- Finding how many groups fit→Divide as grouping
- Adding unlike fractions→Find common denominator first
- Converting a percent value→Divide the percent by 100
- Solving x plus a number→Do inverse operation both sides
- Answer looks too large→Estimate to check reasonableness
Number Sense & Operations
- Place Value
- Digit's value by position
- Order of Operations
- PEMDAS left to right
- Whole Number Operations
- Add subtract multiply and divide
- Estimation
- Round then check reasonableness
- Exponent
- Repeated multiplication of a base
- Multiplication as Repeated Addition
- Same addend added many times
- Math Symbols
- Less than greater than equal
Mean vs Median
Mean
- Sum divided by count
- Pulled by extreme values
Median
- Middle value when ordered
- Resists extreme outliers
Median ignores extreme outlier values
Fractions Decimals Percents
- Common Denominator
- Same-size parts for adding
- Decimal to Percent
- Multiply the decimal by 100
- Percent to Decimal
- Divide the percent by 100
- Equivalent Fractions
- Same value different numbers
- Comparing Fractions
- Common denominator then compare numerators
- Numerator
- Top number counts the parts
- Denominator
- Bottom number names the unit
Geometry Measurement & Data
- Perimeter
- Boundary length in linear units
- Area
- Enclosed surface in square units
- Volume
- Space measured in cubic units
- Unit Conversion
- Same quantity, different unit only
- Coordinate Pair (x, y)
- x comes first, y second
- Mean
- Sum divided by the count
- Median
- Middle value when data ordered
- Mode
- Value that appears the most
Common Traps
Confusing Topic With Main Idea
Topic is just a word ≠ Main idea is a full claim
Trusting Spell-Check Blindly
Spell-check picks real words ≠ Reread sentence to confirm meaning
Ignoring Denominator Before Adding
Denominators must match first ≠ Then add only numerators
Mixing Up GACE Test Codes
349 is current Pearson code ≠ 177 was the old ETS code
Assuming Calculators Are Allowed
No calculator use permitted ≠ Practice mental math and estimation
Skipping the Classroom Application Angle
Tests knowledge and classroom use ≠ Apply skill in support role
Last Minute
- 1.Bring accepted photo ID to testing
- 2.Confirm MyPSC and GA CERT ID
- 3.No calculators allowed on GACE 349
- 4.Test has 90 selected-response questions
- 5.Testing time is two hours
- 6.Passing score is 220 scaled
- 7.Three subareas weighted about equally
- 8.Arrive early for tutorial and NDA
- 9.Review order of operations rules
- 10.Practice both skill and application items
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